Saturday 20 July 2013

A couple more framed embroideries!

I really seem to be going through an 'embroidery' phase at the moment.  It is just so enjoyable to be able to sit in the garden listening to the birds singing and be stitching away in the sunshine.


These two fun little embroideries were really quick to make.  Having seen a few 'owl' patterns around on the internet for inspiration, I drew a basic owl outline and just added the details myself.  I didn't really draw the design details onto the fabric, I just added stitches here and there where I thought they were needed.


I did the same with this butterfly.  They were really fun and easy to make.  I think the best thing about making small embroidery pictures like these is that so little equipment is required to get started.  Just a small piece of fabric, a hoop, needle and some threads! Why don't you give it a try?

Monday 15 July 2013

Finished placemats and the scent of mock orange!

This weekend I was finally able to put the finishing stitches on my placemats.  I am so pleased to have them finished and we were able to use them for a barbecue.  I think they look lovely on the table in the garden.

 


The terrace looked so pretty and the scent of the mock orange blossoms on the table and from the shrub around the table was so delicate and sweet.  It really made a lovely setting.


I love being able to make the garden table look pretty and the new placemats do a great job!  I made the design up myself using fabrics designed by Terri Degenkolb of Whimsicals.  The main fabrics used are from the range called 'Buttons and Blooms' with a few additional fabrics from the range 'Winterberry Lane'. Hope you all had a fun weekend!!


Friday 12 July 2013

A hike to the Post Office

It has been hot here today.  So it was a bit of a puff up the very steep hill to the Post Office to collect the mail from the post box.  It was well worth it though because waiting there for me were a couple of books that I have had on order (and I'm sure the exercise was good for me!)  They are both beautiful books.  The first is 'Simply Retro' by Camille Roskelley.


This is Camille's second book and I love it.  I have her first book (Simplify) which is also great.  I am enrolled in Camille's online quilting class at Craftsy which is called 'Pre-Cut Piecing Made Simple'.  It is great fun and, I can see that this new book has lots of projects in it which will help me practise the techniques I have learnt.


The second book which arrived today was 'Stitch Zakka'.  This book is a collection of projects by many of my favourite designers.  It is a lovely book and I'm going to enjoy looking through it and deciding what to make.


Hopefully I will have some quiet time to browse through both books this weekend.  Hope you all have something nice planned for the weekend too!

Tuesday 9 July 2013

English Daisies: Block Three

It was a lovely sunny morning here this morning, so I took the opportunity to get the embroidery for Block Three of 'Le Jardin' Quilt  finished. This quilt has been designed by Bronwyn Hayes of Red Brolly Designs for the Girls Own Stitching Club and block three was this pretty little 'English Daisies' design.


Whilst I was in the garden I enjoyed looking at a few flowers of my own. I especially love this pretty lily which is a protected species here in Switzerland and, which I am lucky enough to have growing in my garden!  It it called the 'Lys Martagon'.


Later this afternoon we had a storm, which gave me the perfect excuse to cut and sew the fabrics (all of which are Tilda fabrics) to finish off my block.  I can't wait to see how the finished quilt will look!

Saturday 6 July 2013

Creative Inspiration!

Having recently completed several very enjoyable embroidery blocks following the 'Le Jardin' Quilt project created for the Girls Own Stitching Club by Bronwyn Hayes of Red Brolly Designs, I decided I would try my hand at drawing my own embroidery design to stitch.  I looked through some of my different books for inspiration and I decided to draw a watering can and some flowers.


I traced my sketched design onto some fabric, pressed some interfacing to the back (to prevent thread ends showing through to the front of the embroidery) and spent a very enjoyable afternoon choosing thread colours and stitching.


The stitched picture does vary slightly from the original sketch as I had to allow for the size of the frame I wanted to put it in but, overall it is quite similar and, I am pleased with this first attempt.  Here it is framed and hanging on the wall!



Monday 1 July 2013

Another new block to start!

I had a lot of fun browsing through my fabrics and choosing those to frame my Daisy Block (Block Two) of 'Le Jardin Quilt' designed for the Girls Own Stitching Club by Bronwyn Hayes of Red Brolly Designs. This is how my finished block looks.

I finished it just in time too because Bronwyn has just published the next block in the quilt.  It features more daisies!  This time English daisies.  I have all the charts and instructions printed out for Block Three: English Daisy and they are ready and waiting for my attention.


I'm really looking forward to getting started!!  I am really enjoying these sweet little embroideries which have been designed to teach you new embroidery stitches as you make the quilt.  This month's new stitch is chain stitch.